Likelihood of every AFL club’s prospective round one debutants rated
With all clubs back for the new year and Opening Round under two months away, we look at every team’s possible round one debutants and how likely they are to play.
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Clubs have returned from their December breaks and have been quick to launch into match simulations to start the new year.
With less than 50 days until the first bounce of the 2025 home-and-away season, teams now have a clearer picture of what their respective best 23 looks like, and who is likely a chance to make a debut.
Our experts have watched training closely this pre-season to see which bolters are ready to make the step up and debut at the start of the campaign.
ADELAIDE
The hometown draftee and top prospect Sid Draper has turned heads so far this pre-season. The No.4 selection was snapped up by the Crows after being firmly in the conversation for the top pick taken, and Draper’s explosive tendencies will give Adelaide a different look in the centre square. Tyler Welsh is likely start his career in the SANFL.
Verdict: Lock him in
BRISBANE
Levi Ashcroft was touted as the best player in the draft class throughout his under-18s campaign, and while he was a father-son selection to the reigning premiers there is an expectation he slots straight into their best 22. Ashcroft has been impressive during the summer, and while he’s unlikely to walk straight into the starting midfield, the No.5 pick should feature in Opening Round. Sam Marshall may be forced to begin his career in the VFL, while key forward Ty Gallop is a project player.
Verdict: Lock him in
CARLTON
Jagga Smith has declared he wants to join skipper Patrick Cripps and star Sam Walsh in Carlton’s first centre bounce of 2025, and the new Blue has looked the goods during match simulation to start the calendar year. Ben and Lucas Camporeale have both been strong in the pre-season and could play early, while Harry O’Farrell is a long term prospect.
Verdict: Lock him in
COLLINGWOOD
Harry Demattia has impressed during his first season in the black and white despite not earning a senior berth, and he is the most likely uncapped player to break through after a wretched run with injuries. He recently signed an extension at the Pies to take him through until 2027. Joel Cochran joined the Magpies after the Swans chose not to bid on the Academy player, and has shown flashes during the limited match play work he’s completed. A dashing tall defender, Cochran has traits similar to fellow Sydney academy junior Nick Blakey and he models his game on Hawthorn’s Josh Weddle. But an early debut seems unlikely despite Collingwood needing to fill a key defensive hole.
Verdict: Unlikely
ESSENDON
Essendon is a chance to have multiple debutants to kick off the season, with Isaac Kako already one of the club’s best small forwards, and last year’s mid-season draftee Saad El-Hawli lauded for his ball use. El-Hawli has featured heavily in the Bombers’ stronger side during match simulations and is the main distributor off half back. Angus Clarke is also pushing for an early debut, impressing in the running drills, while Kayle Gerreyn, Rhys Unwin and Zak Johnson could all feature at some point in 2025 but are unlikely to start the season in the senior team.
Verdict: Lock him in
FREMANTLE
The Dockers are still toying with how the back six looks in 2025, with a rebounding half back position to pair with Jordan Clark currently open for the taking. While he was drafted as a midfielder, Murphy Reid has spent some time down back during the summer. His class by hand and foot was impressive during his draft campaign and he’s continued to impress since arriving in Perth. A midfield role may be harder to crack into for Reid.
Verdict: In the air
GEELONG
The Cats do not have a standout debutant prospect heading into 2025, but second-year ruck Mitch Edwards is the likeliest of the bunch. Toby Conway is yet to join in on main training completely as he battles injuries, there are question marks over Rhys Stanley’s production as the stand-alone ruck, and Mark Blicavs and Sam De Koning should be played in defence to sure up the club’s key back stocks. Edwards has impressed in the pre-season and looks to be the next man up.
Verdict: Unlikely
GOLD COAST
Academy star Leo Lombard won a VFL premiership with the Suns as a 16 year old, and while the Suns are stocked in the midfield he has shown his ability to play forward. Not only that, he is as tough as they come and has been a constant performer in his first summer with the AFL program. He’ll start his career forward and pinch hit in the midfield, but he could also be prone to play as the starting substitute.
Verdict: In the air
GWS GIANTS
The Giants shocked the AFL when they drafted Cody Angove in the first round, but it is not likely fans see him in Opening Round. Oliver Hannaford was another draftee that could snag an early debut, but the versatile James Leake is impressing in western Sydney and could get a nod as the Giants try to fill the voids left by departing players.
Verdict: In the air
HAWTHORN
Midfield bull Cody Anderson has started his Hawthorn career almost exclusively up forward during training drills and match simulations this summer, bringing his elite tackling pressure to the forward 50. It’s a tough forward line to break into, with Dylan Moore, Connor Macdonald, Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson the Hawks’ preferred small forwards.
Verdict: Unlikely
MELBOURNE
Melbourne left the first night of the draft with two star midfielders in Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay, with both showing signs early in their first summers at the club. Lindsay is spending time off half back and on the outside of the midfield contests, looking like a potential replacement for the role Angus Brayshaw vacated when he retired at the start of last season.
Verdict: In the air
NORTH MELBOURNE
Plenty of attention has been on No.2 draftee Finn O’Sullivan, but North Melbourne’s most impressive draftee so far has arguably been No.57 pick Luke Urquhart. The Western Australian added to what is now deep midfield stocks at the Roos, but Urquhart’s mature frame and hard-nosed pressure has impressed track watchers this summer. He is prone to blazing away with his kicks and not lowering his eyes, but he could play forward to start his career and get games early.
Verdict: In the air
PORT ADELAIDE
First round forward Joe Berry didn’t take long to impress his Power teammates, dominating off the flank in a bid for a round 1 debut. He was compared to Robbie Gray in his draft year, says he idolises the Port Adelaide legend, and even replicated a clutch goal from the boundary line to win a match simulation drill that had fans reminiscing of Gray’s genius around the sticks.
Verdict: Lock him in
RICHMOND
Josh Smillie has been one of the few draftees to feature heavily in match simulations early in their Richmond careers, with the tall midfielder impressive with his movement and ball use. With such a rapid turnover of their list, the Tigers are likely to blood a few players in round 1, with No.1 draftee Sam Lalor another option if healthy. Key forwards Jonty Faull, Harry Armstrong and Tom Sims will be fighting out for a position to pair with Tom Lynch, while Luke Trainor would be hopeful of an early game with Noah Balta suspended.
Verdict: Lock him in
ST KILDA
Tobie Travaglia was brought in as a rebounding defender with plenty of class by foot, but the top-10 pick is already eyeing a midfield role in 2025. Travaglia has worked closely with Jack Steele so far this pre-season and has impressed throughout the summer. Alix Tauru has battled injury so far this pre-season and would be unlikely to feature from the start of the campaign, while mature ruck Harry Boyd could pair with Rowan Marshall as the club looks to bolster its key forward stocks.
Verdict: Lock him in
SYDNEY
It will be hard to crack into the grand finalist’s side, but mature age recruit Riley Bice has been impressive so far this summer and looks to be the best chance at the Swans. Bice is a smart ball user and will play off half back or potentially on a wing at Sydney, and while Sydney is stacked in both those positions Bice has been a constant performer this off-season.
Verdict: In the air
WEST COAST
Bo Allan has been the obvious choice as a bigger bodied draftee, but Hamish Davis looks ready-made as a product as well. Both Allan and Davis have big frames that are ready for the rigours of an AFL campaign, with Allan pushing for a role in the midfield and Davis likely to start up forward. Allan would have a slight edge over Davis in the race for a debut. In one memorable passage of play, Allan stormed through traffic and hit Jake Waterman lace out.
Verdict: Lock him in
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Lachie Jaques is a classy rebounding defender from the Geelong Falcons and could help fill a hole off half back for the Western Bulldogs. Caleb Daniel had an inconsistent season in 2024 and was traded in the off-season, but with Ed Richards tipped for more midfield minutes it opens up another distributing role in defence. He spent some time during a match simulation up forward and kicked two goals, showing some versatility. Cooper Hynes could also play midfield or forward early as a bigger body, but Jaques is an early candidate after impressing with his smart ball use.
Verdict: In the air
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